“Reducing vulnerabilities is a core element of disaster risk reduction. That is why it is critical that the G7 integrate disaster risk reduction into its deliberations”
$ 1.3tr estimated real global cost per year of disasters
economic costs alone, once indirect and cascading impacts are considered. Left unaddressed, disaster costs can become a powerful driver of social and economic inequality. A second entry point appears in the G7’s finance track, specifically, under the “regulation of international finance to forestall systemic crises”. The Fourth International Confer- ence on Financing for Development, held in Sevilla in 2025, recognised that risk-informed financing is essential for ensuring sustainable and resilient devel- opment. This was reinforced by the G20 Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group under South Africa’s presidency, for which the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction served as the secretariat. The group endorsed a set of groundbreaking Voluntary High-Level Principles for Investing in Disaster Risk Reduction. Most recently, the UN report on Implementing the Sevilla Commit- ment called for “integrating climate and disaster risk considerations into financial instruments” to strengthen resilience in a more shock-prone world. I believe the G7 is ideally placed to build on this momentum and integrate disaster risk reduction into the very architecture of international finance. The finance track also highlights the need to shift “from support to partner- ships”, particularly as public resources become more constrained. EMBEDDING RISK REDUCTION IN FINANCE AND PARTNERSHIPS This mirrors a transformation already underway in disaster risk reduction cooperation. The Santiago Network – whose secretariat UNDRR hosts jointly with the UN Office for Project Services – exemplifies this kind of partnership. It connects developing countries with expertise and organisations that can help them build the technical capacity they need to avert, minimise and address climate-related loss and damage. A sim- ilar partnership logic underpins the UN’s Early Warnings for All initiative, which brings together national and
international actors to strengthen early warning systems in the most vulnerable countries. Strengthening these partner- ship mechanisms would help developing countries reduce disaster losses, protect development gains and lessen future humanitarian needs. The G7 trade track’s focus on supply chain resilience is an argument for infra- structure and business resilience. In today’s interconnected world, a single disaster can have far-reaching effects across borders and sectors. Wild- fire smoke from Canada in 2023 shut down some airports, and affected opera- tions at others, because of low visibility. Drought at the Panama Canal slowed major global shipping channels. And a sandstorm in March 2021 led to the grounding of a container ship in the Suez Canal, blocking nearly a third of global container traffic. That is why we advocate for integrat- ing climate and disaster resilience into all infrastructure systems, in line with our Principles of Resilient Infrastruc- ture, and to conduct stress testing to find vulnerabilities. We also call for sup- porting businesses, small and large, to better understand and plan against the risks they face. Tools such as UNDRR’s Resilience Maturity Assessment and business continuity planning guides can help here. Together, these actions can reduce disaster-related disruptions to supply chains, protect livelihoods and investments, and strengthen economic security. France has long been a global leader in climate action and disaster risk reduc- tion. Under its presidency, the G7 can emerge as an engine for multilateralism around disaster prevention and reduc- ing the growing cost of disasters – a challenge affecting economies large and small. With less than five years until the expiration of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, now is the time to mobilise action around its globally agreed targets, which align with the G7 agenda. Let us use this moment to build resilience that translates into economic stability and prosperity for all.
// KAMAL KISHORE Kamal Kishore is the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, and head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduc- tion. Prior to joining UNDRR, he was head of India’s Depart- ment of the National Disaster Management Authority, where he led the G20 Working Group on Disaster Risk Reduction and helped develop the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. He previ- ously spent 13 years with the United Nations Development Programme after serving at the Asian Disaster Prepared- ness Centre and the Action Research Unit for Develop- ment in New Delhi.
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